


A Note

by Nebulash



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 08:09:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6558835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nebulash/pseuds/Nebulash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern High School!AU Ren & Hux always pair up for school projects partially out of necessity and partially because they both have raging crushes on each other. When Ren fucks up, his heartfelt handwritten confession falls into unfortunate hands. </p>
<p>A response to the prompt : "the two nerds giving each other shit about being love struck nerds?" on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Note

Whenever Ren’s class was forced to group up in pairs,  he always found himself struggling to find a partner. He wasn’t very friendly with anyone in class and didn’t really want to do anything to change that. Skimming the surface of effort was adequate, and making friends took unnecessary application. He didn’t feel like wasting the time.  He had found over a few different projects, that there was another boy in his class that felt similarly.  He went by Hux, his last name, because he apparently hated his first name. Ren could relate, he hated his first name too.

Once again the class divides itself up into pairs and Hux and Ren move their desks closer together a bit reluctantly. Neither of them want to seem like this is of any form of exciting to them at all. But in truth,  it was. Because to both of their despite they were each suffering from a very terrible crush on the other.

In fact, Ren had spent the better part of his morning handwriting a note to Hux that confessed his feelings. He was too afraid to do it in person and felt that a heartfelt note might be just enough to warm the other’s cold, rigid personality. The note is in the front pocket of his hoodie, almost burning a hole through it. He’s still too afraid to hand it over to Hux in a situation as public as this and decides it’s best to save it for another day. Or maybe just never give it to him at all. It was stupid anyway right? Confessing to your crush in a note felt so immature, but Ren already knew that he was lacking in maturity. 

Ren had become so familiar with Hux and the way working on projects with him usually went. (with Hux doing most of the thinking and Ren doing the manual actual constructive part). They made a surprisingly good team for the amount of antisocial behavior between them, and the teacher never really minded that they constantly paired up together, knowing it was probably the only way either of them were going to get the assignment completed.

This week’s project is a bit more labor intensive than usual, and they both agree it would be best to work on this outside of class. Ren invites Hux over to his house that afternoon after school, it’s always easier that way. Hux has never offered his home up for project time and Ren frankly doesn’t mind. Whenever Hux is around, Ren’s parents keep their distance, giving them space to work on the assignment, only pestering every now and again to ask if they would like something to eat. 

That’s where they find themselves now. In Ren’s bedroom, which is much less tidy than Hux would prefer, but he appreciates not having to use his house as a homework base. His father absolutely hates when he has anyone over, so it’s just something he never does. 

They’re on the floor, Hux is taking notes and writing the written portion of the assignment  while Ren busies himself with the visual part - cutting out pictures and adding them to a poster board. He’s a bit clumsy, and as he walks across the room after retrieving the scissors from his desk, the movement causes the black hoodie he’s wearing to catch on the side of his bed as he walks past it. A small, folded up letter falls out, and to his dismay, lands in Hux’s lap. It’s unreachable, - he can’t possibly stick his hand there to retrieve it.

Hux picks up the folded up piece of paper and looks at it curiously. 

“What is this?”

Ren’s heart immediately begins to race. Fucking shit this is not good. He’s going to read it now and I’m not ready and he’s going to laugh at me and ruin fucking everything. 

“It’s nothing, give it back.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing. You’re blushing.” He starts to open it up, unfolding it carefully. “Your handwriting is terrible.”

“Shut up and give it back!” Ren attempts to snatch the note out of Hux’s hand, but he’s surprisingly quick at dodging Ren entirely. He smirks, pleased with himself, sitting on Ren’s bed as he starts to read the note aloud. 

_ I don’t like to admit why I’m writing this, because In truth, I’m just too scared to tell you in person. I thought maybe if I wrote it down, it wouldn’t be so scary? It’s still scary.  _

_ Anyway, I like working on projects with you. I pretty much hated everything about school until we started teaming up. Group work used to cause me to become so nervous, but now it just makes me excited, because I know I’ll be working with you. _

Hux’s demeanor changes a bit, and Ren is left helpless with nothing he can do except listen to his words come alive on Hux’s tongue. 

_ I really don’t know how it came to this, or why I’m feeling this way. But it’s starting to become impossible to ignore. I’m not very good at ignoring things anyway. So here. _

Hux pauses, a blush on his face and all signs of laughter gone completely as he softens his voice slightly and starts the next paragraph. He’s clearly affected by the words on the page. Ren sits defeated on his bed, far enough away from Hux to feel comfortable.

_ Hux, I like you. You’re a good partner, and you don’t make me feel like an idiot like everyone else does Even if you are a total prick sometimes.I know you appreciate working with me too. That’s why we always pick each other right? Being wanted makes me happy. So thank you for that. _

_ I’m running out of room. So I’ll just end it here by saying that I would like to get closer to you and think it would be cool to spend time together outside of class and projects. If you would like to please respond. -Ren _

 

Hux neatly folds the piece of paper back into a neat little square in silence and deposits it in his pocket.

“I didn’t realize you were so...sappy.” There’s a faint smile on his lips. Ren blushes and keeps his eyes on the ground, hands in his lap. Hair falling in front of his face in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

“You weren’t supposed to read it.”

“Well apparently I was. It was for me wasn’t it? Is there another Hux I’m not aware of?”

“I mean! NO! Not like this. You weren’t supposed to read it out loud. In front of me.” His voice starts to shake as tears fill his eyes. Hux takes notice and doesn’t know how to react other than to scoot closer and gently take Ren’s arm. 

“Hey. Stop it. You overemotional idiot. Look at me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Ren...”

He turns his head slightly enough for Hux to feel comfortable enough to move a bit closer. “You’re hardly able to look at me through all that hair.” He reaches up and brushes Ren’s bangs away from his eyes. “There...much better.”

“You weren’t supposed to read it...I wasn’t ready.” 

“Wasn’t ready for what? For this?” 

He leans forward and presses a chaste kiss to Ren’s lips, leaving the other in a state of shock. His cheeks turn pink and he looks away, quickly hiding behind his hair again. 

“...and you called me a sappy? ...you just...kissed me.”

Hux is blushing now too but he hasn’t moved away. He doesn’t regret the kiss one bit. What Ren had written was true. Hux did appreciate working with Ren. He enjoyed not having to worry about what useless classmate he was going to have to work with next time a project came a long. Ren would always be there and they’d always get their work done without a hitch.

“I did. And I’ll have you know it was my first. So don’t you dare pretend like you didn’t want it.”

“I did want it. I’m just sorry. That you had to find out like that.”

“like what..through a note? Or in front of you, reading your heartfelt confession out loud while you sit and watch in horror with cheeks like tomato?”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

So Ren does. With a kiss of his own. And before either of them realize Ren is pushing Hux onto his back and pressing their lips together a bit harder, all with the pretense that Hux’s had asked Ren to shut him up. He hadn’t said how. This was simply Ren’s method.

When they break the kiss they’re both blushing and out of breath. This is so new and exciting for both of them and it’s hard to contain these feelings that they’ve been storing up inside. But this is Hux, and Hux is important, so Ren stops, settling next to him on his bed.  They both just stare at each other for a moment, surprised at everything they had just done. Hux reaches out and brushes Ren’s bangs away once again.

“Your hair is always in your eyes.”

“Then you’ll just having to keep pushing it away.”

“We should get back to work.”

“In a bit. We deserve a break.”

“Do we?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Fine then.”

There’s a knock on the door, followed by a door opening and both boys scurry to opposite sides the room their faces flushed in embarrassment. Leia stands in the doorway trying not to look surprised with a plate of food for them to share in her arms.

“Mom! That isn’t how you knock. You’re supposed to wait not just open the door right away.”

“Sorry boys, I just thought you might want something to eat. I’ll...leave you guys to it. Ben, it’s messy in here. Clean up before you have a guest over next time.”

She places the food onto the floor next to where they had obviously been working on their project and can’t help but smile as she walks out of the room and closes the door behind herself. She had been curious as to when this would happen, and with whom it would happen with. But she had seen the way they were looking at each other before they had hurried to pull apart in her sudden presence and she knew deep down that her son was in safe hands.

Back in Ren’s room. The boys decide it’s best to finish their project now, munching on the food Leia brought them as they stay hard at work.

Ren’s note sits safely in Hux’s pocket, and he’s excited to read it again when he gets home. He’s never had anyone express any sort of affection towards him, and it sends butterflies soaring through his stomach. This wasn’t so bad, being sappy and sentimental. It was different, and it was one of the things that had drawn him to Ren in the first place. He liked the other’s passion and willingness to let go of himself sometimes. They could each learn something from each other, Hux thought, and that not only made them a perfect team, but perfect partners as well.

  
  



End file.
